Outdoor-sports field



June 17,V 1930. w. w.v HENDERSON ET Al- 1,763,782

l OUTDOOR SPORTS FIELD Filed Aug. 2, 1929 2 Sheets-Sheet l fzyl i Jv/fff/lbwfff INVENTOS. WILLIAM W. HENDERSON,

i q l 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 OUTDOOR SPORTS FIELD Filed Aug. 2. 1929 w. w. HENDERSON Er AL june 17, 1930.

INVENTons, WILLIAM w. HENDERSON. RUDOLF A. ISENBERG.

/ m'ry.

UNITED sTATEs PATENT OFFICE WILLIAM W. HENDERSON, OF SAN FRANCISCO, AND RUDOLF A. ISENBERG, F

. LOS ALTOS,` CALIFORNIA oU'rDoon-sron'rs FIELD Application filed August 2, 1929.

Our invention relates to improvements in playing fields for outdoorsports wherein a cement basin having means for draining water therefrom is provided withV a plurality of removable fibrous mats fitted therein to form a resilient playing field for outdoor games.

The primary object of our invention is to provide an improved field for outdoor sports and games. u

Another object is to provide an improved field having a playing surface formed from resilient fibrous mats removably fitted within a cement basin whereby the mats may be removed in case of rain to permit effective draining of the basin and restored in a dry condition when play is to be started.

A further obj ect is to provide an improved field wherein a cement basin is provided with 2o draining means adapted to facilitate the draining of rain or other accumulati-ons of water therefrom.

Another object is to provide Van improved field having a draining basin and provided with removable fibrous-mats which may be removed in case of rain beforea game isto be played, and through which rain may be eectively drained during the course of a game without materially interfering with the conduct of the game.

A further obj ect is to provide an improved field of the character described wherein re-` will obviate postponement of sports and ath` letic contests because of rain or rain soaked fields; and which will reduce discomfort to players engaging in sports during or immediately after a rain. v

We accomplish these and other objects by means of the improved device disclosed in the drawings, forming a part of the present application wherein like characters of refer- Serial No. 383,126.

ence are used to designate similar parts throughout the specification and drawings, and in which- Fig. l is a plan view of our improvedY sports eld, part of the mats being removed;

Fig. 2 is a broken transverse sectional view taken through the center of the field and drawn upon a larger scale;

F ig. 3 is an end elevation of two mats showing the diverging sides thereof; and

Fig. 4 is a sectional view showing the manner in which the mats are secured within theV basin, t-he securing means being shown upon an exaggerated scale.

Referrin to the drawings, the numeral l is used to esignate in general a foundation basin formed fromV cement or other suitable material impervious to water. The bottom of the basin is made flat and the sides and ends of the basin extend upwardly from the bottom as at 2 to substantially the plane of the surface of the ground surrounding the basin.

A suitable drain 3 opens into the basin, preferably at the center vof the bottom; said drain being extended to carry water from the basin to any suitable point of discharge in any convenient manner, not shown in the drawings. Main drain Vchannels L extend longitudinally from the ends of theV basin l to the central drain 3, the bottoms of said drain being inclined downwardly from the ends of the basin to the drain whereby water will flow along said channels to the drain. A plurality of transverse channels 6 are formed v in parrallel relation from the sides of the basin to the main channels 4, the bottoms of said channels 6 being inclined downwardly from the sides of the basin to the level of the bottom of the main channel atthe point of intersection whereby water will flow along said transverse channels to the main channels. A plurality of feeder channels 7 are formed in the bottom of the basin to intersect with the transverse channels 6, preferably at right angles. The bottoms of the feeder channels 7 incline from the surface of the bottom of the basin to the bottoms of the channels 6 at the points of intersection to How water from the bottom surface to said transverse channels and thence to the drain.

CTI

A plurality of mats 8 are removably fitted into the basin to surface bottom and the sides and ends of said basin. The mats 8 are formed from fibrous material such as jute, hemp, or other suitable material, preferably in rectangular formwith the sides and ends diverging upwardly from the bottom to the top surfaces of each mat, as shown in F ig. 3. The mats 8 alongV the sides and endsof. the field are provided with fl'ange like extensions 9 shaped to extend over the adjacent side and' end' walls 2 of the basin. The mats are made. preferably of a thickness slightly less than the depth of the basin, and the extensions 9 areY shaped to extend upwardly and across tl e end and side walls to provide a substantial thickness of the matting material over the cement.

The mats S are preferably secured to the bottom of the basin 1 by means of suitable securing members 11 seating within the counter-sunk apertures 12 formedin the mat and spaced to correspond'to recessed members 14Cv insetin the bottom ofthe basin, as indicatedy in exaggerated scale inFig; tot' the drawings. In the preferred construction illustrated, the securing members 11 consist of screws threaded to engage the members 14e, washers 16 being provided to form seats for the heads of the screws 11.

Fillers 17 formed from material similar to the mats 8 are fitted between the adjacent edges of desired rows of'mats to define boundaries or other markers, as desired, for laying out any particular playing field. The fillers are preferably colored in any suitable manner and are made ofa suitable thickness to provide distinct marking lines. In Fig. l the fillers are illustrated* as arranged to dcfine the boundaries andtransverse yard lines of a foot-ball field. However, the fillers may be arranged to define the playing field for other games or sports as desired.

In operation, the mats S are fitted into the basin 1 as indicated in Fig; 1. rlihe flaring relation of the sides and ends facilitates the placing of the mats in the desired arrangement so that when the securingmembers 14 are applied to draw the mats down tightly against* tlie bottom of the basin, the flaring sides and ends will be compressed together so that theupper edges of adjacentl mats will fit andbe wedged tightly together to give a smooth uninterrupted surface. The fillers 17 are efiectually held by the wedging action of the sides and ends of the mats 8 when secured in the basin. The mats are made several inches in thickness so that a firm and durable surface is provided, and, at the same time, providing aE resiliency adapted to prevent injury to players who may fall or be thrown upon the field; rEhe fibrous material` further provides a surface which-will afford' a good footing for playersand thereby increase the speedV and precisionv with which sports may be played. The mats are supported in a smooth even plane by the flat bottom of the basin.

In case of rain, the mats 8 are removed from the basin and stored in a suitable shelter. Rain, or water accumulating in any manner upon theffield will now` flow free y through the drainage channels 7, G, and l to the drain 3. Just before the time when the sport is to be started, the mats are replaced, thereby providing a dry field upon which the sport may be played. In this manner, games may be played according to schedule which would otherwise have to be postponed because of the wet condition of, the ordinary playing field.

.in event it should rain during the course of a. game, the rain will readily drain through thefibrous mats and flow through. the drainage channels to the drain outlet, thus preventing the accumulation of water in suflicient quantity to materially handicap the players or cause severe discomfort. Our invention is of particular value as a footiall field because of this reason, as heretofore such games have been played regardless of the condition of the field With the result that players have been subjected to extreme discomfort, and the game has been made slow and uninteresting to the spectators.

Our invention is, of course, subject to modification to meet the requirements of specific locations and of various games, and we desire to avail ourselves of all such modifications as may fall within the scope of the appended claims.

Having thus described our invention what we claim as new and desire to secure-by Letters Patent is z- 1`. An outdoor sports field comprising a cement basin having a fiat bottom and provided with a central drain opening at a point below the plane of the bottom; main drain channels formed in the bottom of the basin and having the bottom thereof inclining longitudinally from the ends of the basin to the central drain; a plurality of transverse drain channels intersecting with the longitudinal drain channels and having their bottoms inclined from the sides of the basin to said longitudinal channels; a plurality of feeder channels intersecting each transverse channel and having their bottoms inclined from the surface of the basin to-the bottoms of said transverse channels; and a plurality of resilient fibrous mats removably fittedfinto and surfacing the basin, said mats beingl supported upon the bottom ofv the basin clear of the channels to form a smooth level playing field.

2. An outdoor sports field comprising a cement basin provided with draining means formed in the bottom thereof to drain water therefrom; and a pluralityl of resilient fibrous mats fitted into the basin and surfacingl the samefto form a playing field, the mats adjacent the sides of the basin being extendedA over said sides to cover said sides and protect players from injury thereon.

8. An outdoor sports field comprising a cement basin provided with draining means formed in the bottom thereof to drain wat-er therefrom; and a plurality of resilient fibrous mats removably fitted into the basin and surfacing the same, each mat having its sides and ends diverging upwardly whereby the mats maybe pressed and wedged into tight contact when fitted into the basin to form a playing field.

4. An outdoor sports field comprising a cement basin provided with draining means formed in the bottom thereof to drain water therefrom; a plurality of resilient fibrous mats removably fitted into the basin and surfacing the same, each mat having its sides and ends diver-ging upwardly whereby the mats may be pressed and wedged into tight contact when fitted into the basin to form a playing field; and extensions formed upon the outer edges of mats adjacent the sides and ends of the basin to overhang said sides and ends.

5. An outdoor sports field comprising a cement basin provided with draining means formed in the bottom thereof to drain water therefrom; a plurality of resilient fibrous mats removably fitted into the basin and surfacing the same, each mat having its sides and ends diverging upwardly whereby the mats may be pressed and wedged into tight contact when fitted into the basin to form a playing eld; extensions formed upon the outer edges of mats adjacent the sides and ends of the basin to overhang said sides and ends; and resilient fibrous fillers inserted between adjacent rows of mats to form boundaries and suitable markers upon the field.

6. An outdoor sports field comprising a cement basin provided with draining means formed in the bottom thereof to drain water therefrom; and a plurality of resilient fibrous mats fitted into the basin and surfacing the same to form a playing field; and resilient fibrous llers inserted between adjacent rows of mats and having their upper edges exposed and colored to define lsuitable boundaries and markers upon the field.

In witness whereof, we hereunto set our signatures.

WILLIAM W. HENDERSON. RUDOLF A. ISENBERG. 

